Magic Book
by JXeleven
Summary: Hermione has discovered the location of a powerful magic book, one that may help in the D.A. lessons, but what will happen when they find the book and will it be a disappoinment or will they discover something even better, even though they may not even know it. Now continued
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Hello everyone! A one-shot I really wanted to write when I thought of it and so I did. Just something little I came up with and I decided to not say much as I don't want to spoiler more than I already have done in my summary. The only thing that I want to say is that I'm not born in an English country, so English is my second language. Oh and of course, I don't own Merlin or Harry Potter. So please enjoy and tell me what you thought of it. **_

xxx

'It must be somewhere around here.' Hermione hissed as she made her way past the old bookcases to the back, Harry and Ron followed not far behind.

'Really you think it's all the way back here?' Ron asked as he rolled his eyes.

The witch stopped and turned around, glaring at her friend. 'Quiet, Ron! We don't want to get caught. It's way past bedtime!'

'And then to think that you led us here.'

'Shut up, Ronald!' She snapped back at him again.

There they went again, bickering like an old married couple. Harry sighed as he walked after his two friends. They should probably be more worried of Umbridge finding out, giving her another excuse to punish them. He absentmindedly rubbed his arm, feeling the newly formed scars on his skin.

Hermione had read about a book that would help the D.A., Dumbledore's Army, improve in their defense against the dark arts. According to the book she had read, it was even used by The Merlin, even though this book was most likely just a copy. It was said that only those in need of it were able to find it.

A frustrated sigh left his friend's lips as Hermione opened the large book she had with her, scanning the pages before she looked up and her eyes snapped from side to side. 'It has to be somewhere around here.' She mumbled. She turned back to her friends. 'We should split up.'

'How do we know what to look for?'

'The book doesn't say, but I guess we will know it when we see it.'

And so the three of them went their separate way. Harry scanned the titles of the bookcase he was walking past, how in the world would they be able to find it without knowing the title.

'Searching for something?'

Harry spun around as he heard the voice, his heart racing as he stared at the boy now in front of him. He opened his mouth to respond, but instead he just gaped at the other boy, his mind going over all the things that Umbridge would do to him now that he was caught. The only thing he could do now was to make sure that Ron and Hermione didn't get caught. 'No... Are you going to tell that you saw me here?'

The boy shrugged. 'Tell that you and your two friends run around the castle in the middle of the night?' Harry's eyes widened, so he knew that Ron and Hermione where here too. 'I did the same when I was younger.' The other mumbled, even though it looked like it was more to himself than to him.

Harry looked more closely at the other boy, he looked strange, he didn't wear a school uniform and if he would have done that he probably would be in the final year, or at least one of the last, and he definitely wasn't a teacher, he would have known about a new teacher... He had short pitch black hair and wore a simple blue shirt with a red scarf.

'Uhh... okay, so who are you? You aren't a student, right?'

The black haired boy laughed as he placed his hands on his side. 'No, no... I'm not a student here, nor am I a teacher... I guess you can say that I'm a ghost that dwells in this castle.'

'You don't look like a ghost to me.'

Again the other laughed. 'I'm not your typical ghost... I'm just here, waiting...' The 'ghost' jumped onto a desk, sitting cross-legged on top of it. 'But what're you doing here? Searching for a specific book.'

'We... uhmm...'

'Don't worry, I don't plan on ratting you out, just tell me and maybe I will be able to help you.'

'Harry... Harry!' He could hear Hermione's worried voice.

'I am here.'

'Oh, thank god.' She breathed out as she hurried over and hugged him, Ron not far behind her. 'We were worried t-...' She fell silent as her eyes fell on the stranger. 'Who's he, are we caught?' She breathed out and he could hear the horror in her voice, fear that she was caught while breaking the rules.

'Don't worry, I won't tell.'

'You still haven't told us your name.' Harry said after he saw the relief on his friend's face.

The 'ghost' tilted his head slightly to the side and it was clear that he was deep in thought. 'I am... Emrys.'

'You aren't a student, right?' Ron repeated the question that Harry had asked before.

'Nope, I already told Harry that I'm actually a ghost, even though I'm not your regular one.'

Ron frowned. 'You don't look like one.

'Definitely true. So what are you searching for?'

Hermione shot a worried glance at him and he quickly nodded to her implying that they could probably trust Emrys. She turned back to the other and opened the book, holding it up so he could see it. 'We're searching for a book formerly owned by Merlin.'

Emrys gave them an amused look, but nodded. 'I think I know where it is.' He said simply.

'Really!' Hermione answered with wide eyes. 'Can you show it to us?'

'Okay.' He said as he turned around and walked away. Stopping for a moment at the corner before he signaled for them to follow him and they hurried after him. 'So why do you need it... for Dumbledore's Army?'

All three gasped as he mentioned their secret group. 'H-how did you know?'

Emrys snickered. 'I may not show myself to most students, but that doesn't mean I don't know what is going on in this castle. Even so you don't have to worry, I'm probably the only one that knows.'

They reached the end of the library and Harry frowned, there was nothing here. 'So, where is it?'

'Not so impatient.' Emrys turned back to the wall and placed his hand on it, whispering words that Harry had never heard before and with a small click a opening in the wall appeared. On the other end was a large room, the walls covered in books, tables filled with potions and on the other side of the wall another door. Emrys didn't hesitate and walked through, only once looking behind him at the others. 'Wait here for a moment.' Before he disappeared through the door.

He returned in a few minutes, a large book clutched under his arm. Next to him he could hear Ron mumble. 'Ghosts aren't supposed to be able to hold objects.'

Emrys apparently had heard the words and laughed. 'That's right, but I told you, I'm not a normal ghost.' He walked to the table and placed the book on it. 'This is the book you're searching for... it's my most precious possession.'

'Is it really okay for us to look into it then?' Hermione asked carefully and Emrys nodded. The witch didn't need any more encouragement and opened the book, it was old and she was clearly careful not to damage it.

Harry quickly looked over her shoulder, but he blinked in confusion. He had expected it to show attack spells and maybe some defense, but the book was mostly filled with information on magical creatures, both alive and extinct and the spells to use against them. It wasn't really what they were searching for, but it could still be useful... even though he didn't know any of the words.

'Did this book really belong to Merlin?' Ron asked, his eyes wide in fascination, most likely because The Merlin could have once touched this, Ron was his biggest fan.

Emrys nodded. 'Yes.'

'So how did you get this?'

'It was given to me by my mentor.' Emrys answered, his eyes clearly saddened as he spoke of his mentor. 'It has saved my life many times.'

Harry nodded before another thought shot to his mind. 'Does Dumbledore know that you're here?'

A smile spread over his lips. 'Yes, he's one of the few that has ever found me and knows of my existence and he allows me to stay here. I don't show myself to many people, the last ones were a group of students around two decades ago.'

'So why did you show yourself to us?'

'Aren't you the boy-who-lived?... No, it wasn't because of that, I thought that you opposing Umbridge and her laws was, how do the youngsters put it, awesome and I don't mind helping such a great cause.'

They fell silent for a moment before he could hear Hermione sigh. 'This isn't the book that we need, this magic is old and definitely different from our modern magic, even though it's really a great read and I would love to read it all later, but it just isn't what we need at D.A.' She looked at Ermys. 'Do you have something else?'

He shook his head. 'No, not really. Most of what I have is old magic.'

She sighed again. 'But what kind of magic is it, never seen it before.'

'The old religion, but it went extinct a long time ago after... after Camelot fell to ruins and Merlin and his students disappeared from this world.'

'So are you able to use this magic?'

Emrys looked slightly startled by her words. '... Yes... I know how to use it.'

'That's awesome.' Hermione said exited, eyes sparkling as she looked at the raven man. 'Would you be able to teach it to us?'

'Maybe... but the magic is rather different from yours, it's wandless magic and you may not be able to understand how to use it.'

Typical of Hermione to want to learn more, different magic, even though they were already buried in homework and with the D.A.'s work on the side...

He looked around, for the first time really taking an interest in the room. He knew that Hogwart's had many secrets, but still this room didn't really seem to fit in the castle. It looked old, as if it still remained in darker times... but was that really strange, Emrys had said that he knew the old religion and that it was old, wouldn't that mean that he was old himself. 'So how old are you?'

'Old.'

'But how old?'

Emrys laughed. 'Many centuries, don't really know how many myself, lost count after nine... I have been here in the castle even before it became known under the name of Hogwarts and even before your famous founders decided to make this a school for magic.'

'You met the founders?'

'Yes, they were definitely interesting people.' Emrys answered as he reached for the book, closing it with tenderness as he shot it a warm look, it was clear he was attached to it. 'Now, it's definitely way past your bedtime, you should head back to your tower and get some sleep.'

For the first time he could feel sleep pull at his mind and all three slowly nodded in agreement. They stood up and walked back to the library, through the paths and to the large hallways.

Emrys stood in the opening, staring at them and Harry looked back at him, seeing him wearing a happy, yet sad smile, his eyes telling him that he longed for a long lost time. 'Will we see you again?'

'Maybe, most likely not.'

Harry nodded. 'Then thank you and I hope that you will find who you're waiting for.'

'How do you know that I wait for someone.' The other asked slightly startled.

He didn't even know the answer himself. 'I guess I just do... Goodbye.'

'Goodbye and success with your destiny, may yours be kinder than mine.' And with those words Emrys disappeared back into the library. Harry stared for one last moment at the disappearing man before he turned around and followed his friends back to the tower.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Hello my dear readers! So I eventually decided to continue this story, though I have to say I'm not quite sure where I want to go with this. Still I will try to do my best for all of you and I hope everyone will like it! A big thanks for my betareader, so please read and maybe tell me what you thought of it! **_

xxx

Harry and Ron quickly walked past the many bookshelves as they searched for their friend. Hermione had missed dinner, which in itself wasn't a surprise as that happened occasionally when she was busy reading her books, but what was worrisome was the fact that they had a D.A. meeting in two hours and normally they tried to be there at least an hour early to set everything up.

It wasn't long before they found her, almost completely hidden behind a pile of books. 'Hermione.' He said and her head shot up, staring with a startled look at him.

'What?'

He frowned, it wasn't like her to forget their meetings. Harry quickly looked around, making sure no one was eavesdropping before he whispered to her. 'Meeting in less than two hours.'

Hermione blinked at him for a moment, before straightening her back. 'Two hours, you must be mistaken, I'm sure that it's sti-... Have I really been here that long?'

He nodded at her with a reassuring smile. Ron, standing next to him leaned over, looking at the books in piled front of her. 'What're you doing? That definitely isn't our assignment for DADA.'

'No, no, I have already finished that... and no, you can't copy my work, you have more than enough time to do it yourself.' She scolded before her eyes turned to the book in front of her. With an irritated sigh she explained, 'I'm trying to find Emrys in the school's history books.'

'Why would you look for him in there?' Ron asked.

Harry just frowned as he remembered the man they had met just over a week ago, they hadn't seen him since and somehow he had a feeling would meet the man again. He turned his attention back to Hermione and Ron, the first looking slightly irritated at the red head. 'Isn't that obvious?' Ron just stared at her and she sighed. 'He told us that he was some kind of ghost, though the fact that he doesn't know what he is himself is already rather strange. It means that he has died or lived in this castle to be able to wander these grounds, ghosts are bound to certain places. So there has to be a record of someone named Emrys somewhere in one of these books.'

'And did you have any luck?'

The witch shook her head. 'No... though...'

'You mean that you did find something?' Harry asked.

'Yes, though I don't really know if it's of any use.' She took a rather small, yet thick book and opened it somewhere halfway. Harry noticed that it was a rather old book, the upper part of the book damaged by water and slightly torn. 'It's the only book that mentioned the name Emrys, it's an old druid name.' She breathed deeply in as she looked at her friends. 'It's the old druid name for the warlock Merlin. He's named here Merlin Emrys, but it's not clear if it's his last name or if it's another name for him.'

Ron gaped at her. 'You mean that this Emrys is actually the great Merlin?!'

'Don't shout Ronald!' She snapped, not wanting to get banned from the library. 'I don't really think that's the case. If it really means that it's his last name then he may have given his name to a son or daughter or maybe even one of his pupils.'

'It may be why he had Merlin's book, it could have been from Merlin his mentor.' Harry concluded and she smiled at him.

'Yes, that may be the case.'

'We have to ask him!' Ron said excitedly, the thought of meeting someone who has known The Merlin was incredible.

It wasn't as if they had much of a choice since the red head had already turned around, hurrying to the back of the library. Harry and Hermione simply smiled at each other before the witch clutched the book to her chest and they hurried after him.

It was a strange idea that Emrys was really related to The Merlin, but... he feared that Ron may be disappointed if Emrys told them otherwise, what chance was there that he really had known Merlin.

They quickly made their way towards the wall, knowing that Emrys' room lay behind it. They stared at each other, for a moment wondering what they were supposed to do, before Harry took the initiative and knocked on the wall, hoping that their friend would be able to hear it.

It was completely silent as they waited there for several minutes, staring nervously at each other and Ron's face fell in disappointment.

But just as they turned around to make their way back did they hear that joyful voice and Harry's eyes snapped to the side, seeing Emrys as he turned the corner and walked into their view. 'Hi guys, you were looking for me?'

'Yes, we-.' But he was cut off by Ron's voice partly screaming at him.

'Did you really knew The Merlin?!'

'What?' Emrys asked as a frown crossed his face, he had clearly not been able to understand what the boy had just said.

'Ronald asked if you knew the sorcerer Merlin.'

Emrys tilted his head slightly to the side before he walked passed them and sat down on the edge of one of the tables. 'You mean to ask me if I ever met Merlin?' They nodded. 'For one, he was a warlock, not a sorcerer and secondly, yes, I know the one you people seem admire so much.'

'Really, what was he like?'

Emrys shrugged. 'Nothing special.' He said, his eyes wandering for a moment to the book in Hermione's arms. 'Oh, you found Gilli's book.' He said in excitement and he reached for it. 'I was looking for that.'

Hermione just blinked as she handed him the book. 'So, who was Gilli?'

'One of Merlin's students and a good friend of mine.'

'So you were one of Merlin's students too?' Ron asked, almost like a little child wanting to know what happens next in a fairytale.

The 'ghost' sighed. 'Hmm... not really. It's a bit more complicated than that.' He gripped the book more tightly in his arms, his eyes going blank as if he was lost in an old memory. '... But thank you for finding Gilli's book, I feared that I had lost it.'

Harry frowned, he didn't understand why Emrys was avoiding the subject, about who he once was, had something bad happened to him in his past life and did it have something to do with Merlin.

'Shouldn't you be heading to your meeting?' Emrys suddenly asked, that smile of his returning to his face. 'Hurry up, or else the others will worry... and maybe I will come and take a look at how everyone's doing.'

'So you can go outside of the library!' Ron asked.

Emrys looked amused at him. 'Of course, why wouldn't I be able to walk around the castle? I just like to be in the library, it's a quiet place where I can think. Though sometimes I like to mingle with the students and teachers, at major feasts where a stranger wouldn't stand out... I was there last year at the Christmas party.'

'You were there?'

'Yes, now hurry up and go to your friends!' He said, waving his hands in a gesture to send them away. 'Don't worry, I will be here when you want to talk to me more later on, just make sure that you aren't caught.'

Harry glanced once back at Emrys, he was looking at them with those sad eyes, yet always wearing that same smile.

xxx

He stared at them as they walked out of his sight, he could still hear their footsteps for a moment longer before he was alone again.

Merlin sighed as he dropped his head into his hands, it didn't feel right lying to them like this, yet... he didn't want anyone to know who he really was. From the beginning he had known that it had been a bad decision to use his own name, even though it was his druid one, but somehow... somehow he didn't want to give up everything he was, he wanted to hold on to something, even if it was only just a name.

From the start he had known that Hermione was a smart girl and it wasn't strange that she would be the one to come this close to discovering his true identity... He grinned, he had been eavesdropping on them, it wasn't the first time he did so, he somehow felt that he had to help them, even though there were limits to what he could do.

His eyes shifted to the book next to him on the table, he hadn't lied to them when he told them that he had been searching for this book. Gilli had written it seven years before his death, about what they had discovered in their experiments and the adventures that they had led. The man had been a good friend to him, understanding what he felt when he lost... when he had lost all, though eventually he had even lost that friend.

Now he was nothing more than a 'ghost', or at least that was how he felt when wandering through this mortal world. Not able to die, yet at the same time not being able to truly live, he didn't age, it was impossible for him to stay somewhere for very long and if he did he had to go time and time again through the pain of losing the people he loved.

So instead he had decided to take a far more quiet life and that was how he ended up in this castle, he had lived here for almost two centuries now, taken the room in the library for his own, enchanting it so it couldn't be found unless he wanted it to be found.

Another reason he believed he wasn't truly human anymore was that he lived on magic alone, he didn't need to eat or sleep, the magic floating in the school was enough to keep him healthy. His magic had also changed over the years, nowadays it was truly part of him. He could do almost anything with his magic, he only had to think of it, yet...

The old religion still had a tight grip on him, forcing him to do their bidding, yet sometimes forcing him not to help, to hold back and just watch people die right in front of his eyes. He had wanted to help all those years ago when Voldemort had just risen, but he was forced back, eventually even forced to sleep several years as Voldemort opposed them, though he had been able to save one boy. A sad smile crossed his face, if only he had been able to save the parents.

Sometimes he felt he had no free will of his own. He wanted to be free of their bonds so desperately, to just be able to die, to finally get his rest.

He sighed, he shouldn't stay in the past for too long, it wasn't as if he could change any of it. Merlin stood up, taking the book in his arms as he turned to his room, he would go and take a look at the D.A., that always lightened his mood.


End file.
